How the initial proposals affect North West Region.
The BCE initial proposals that have recently been revealed would result in a reduced number of constituencies within the region with changes to the existing constituency boundaries across the entire region including our sub-region of Cheshire and The Wirral.
How the initial proposals impact Crewe and Nantwich?
-
Crewe & Nantwich loses Wybunbury ward
Crewe and Nantwich CLP comment:
“Crewe & Nantwich CLP broadly welcomes the proposal. There is some sense to the proposal. The proposal removes a previous threat to incorporate Audlem within the constituency. The proposal recognises the current size of the constituency along with the significant number of new housing developments both complete and in the pipeline. Wybunbury, whilst having some active members we will lose, is predominantly not a strong Labour area with potentially an impact of -1,500 on the incumbent’s majority. There were perhaps other feasible options that could have reduced the overall size of the constituency that could have been evaluated – the north-east areas of Haslington / Winterley areas for example. We support the BCE proposal to resize the constituency and what has been included is not the worst option for ourselves.”
How the initial proposals would impact Cheshire and The Wirral.
- Macclesfield unchanged
- Congleton minor changes
- Tatton takes in Lymm
- South Cheshire is the successor to Eddisbury
- New Northwich constituency created
- Chester split between Chester North & Neston and South Cheshire
- All wards in Halton borough south of the Mersey are in a Runcorn & Helsby seat which also includes wards from Cheshire West & Chester – this is the successor to Weaver Vale
- Halewood in Knowsley moves into Widnes & Halewood which replaces Halton constituency
- Warrington and St Helens seats mostly unchanged except Lymm moves from Warrington South into Tatton
- Whiston is now split with Widnes & Halewood, and Parr and Town Centre wards swap
- Ellesmere Port takes in Wirral wards
- Wirral South is abolished
- Birkenhead and Wirral West enlarged
- Upton ward split between Wallasey and Wirral West
The Labour Party response to the BCE proposals, and how they affect local party units, will be a national one coordinated and submitted by the National Executive Committee following a series of regional briefing sessions during June.
For the purposes of the boundary review, the North West includes all of Cumbria, rather than just Barrow & Furness and Westmorland & Lonsdale. The North West region has been allocated 73 constituencies – a reduction of two from the current number.
Whilst for obvious reasons individual CLPs are not encouraged to make submissions members can make online submissions as individuals during the 8 week consultation period.
It is understood that physical public consultation meetings will not be held until 2022.
The NW Regional Review was held on Wednesday 16 June. The constituency specific comments detailed earler in the article were provided to Tom Adams, Acting Director of Data & Targeting.
As is:
Proposed:
BCE Review 2023 initial outline timetable is planned as follows:
- 5 Jan 2021: Publication of headline electorate figures by ONS, BCE begin development of initial proposals;
- 24 March 2021: Publish complete ward-level electorate figures (i.e. including ‘prospective’ wards);
- 10 May 2021: Publish ‘Guide to the 2023 Review’
- 8 June 2021: Publish initial proposals and conduct eight-week written consultation
- Early 2022: Publish responses to initial proposals and conduct six-week ‘secondary consultation’, including between two and five public hearings in each region
- Late 2022: Publish revised proposals and conduct four-week written consultation
- June 2023: Submit and publish final report and recommendations